Vending apparatus



R. A. TRIBULE. A vsnmm; APPARATUS. APPLICATION HLD HA8. 2!. l9l9.liENEWEO APR. 23. I920- Patented Aug. 17, 1920.

2 SHEETHNEET I.

awn? k RATRIBBLE. I

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT A. TBIBBLE, OF CEDARBLUFF, MISSISSIPPI.

I VENDING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent. I at-outed A 1 7 1 920 Applicationflled laruh 21, 1919, Serial No. 284,122 Renewed April 23, 1920. Serialho. 376,174.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT A. TRIBHLE, a, citizen of the United States,residing at Cedarblufi', in the county of Clay and State of Mississi pi,have invented certain new and useful mprovements in Vending Apparatu's,of which the following; is a speeification.

This invention relates to a vending apparatus and more particularly toan apparatus of the selfserving variety wherein the customer ispermitted to help himself from it displayed stock of goods. A structureof this general nature has been illustrated in my co- )emlingapplication Serial No. 280,745 filed arch 5th, 1919, and the presentappli cation has for its object to rovidl; structures embodying all ofthe a vantages incident toithe self serving features while pro riding itmaximum of display space.

Ar: was set forth in theaforesaid application the selfserving store aimsto display the entire stock of goods to each and every customer, to keepthe crowd moving always in one direction to avoid confusion andcongestion, to direct all customers to a common exit and past a cnshiersdesk and to prevent the passage of customers from the store through anyother than the lust named exit. At the same time it is highly desirableto so arrange the fixtures by which the foregoing results are ach evedas to secure the maximum amount of wall or shelf room.

In the accompanying drawings in which like, reference charactersdesignate corresponding parts:

Figure 1 is a. diagrammatic plan view illustrating one form of theinventimw.

Fig. 2 is a like view of another form of the invention;

Fig. 3 is a like view of still anotherllorm of the invention and,

Fig. 4 is a like view of a fourth form. It will he noted that the threeforms of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 haven feature incommon in that they chvh comprise an irregularly shaped central structlufi so shaped as to provide the indcnted portions ll in the sidrsthcrcof'into which the hurriers 7; which extend ohliqucly 'l'rom thecorners of'the building 8, project. The structure 5 may he a mrtitlonwhich extends to the ceiling but it is preferably formed by a displayshelf or counter i l D u which one the space 9 wit-hm the interiorthereof may be utilized for the reception of em )loyees who wrappackages or the like.

n-each of the instances mentioned an inlet turnstile 1U permitsthepassage of customers into the store hut prevents exit tliereby while anoutlet turnstile 11 permits the passage of customers from the store butprevents the entry of customers at that point, Barriers 12 which extendfrom the structure 5 to the front of the store separate the turnstilesfrom each other and require persons entering the store to go en tirelyaround the structure 5 and during their travel thercarouud they arecaused to pass within sight of all the goods displayed in the store. Acushiers cage or station 13 is arranged adjacent each of the exitturnstiles 11 at which the cost of the goods sclected may he computedand the charges therefor paid.

1 preferably employ a storage room 14in conjunction with the formsdescribed which is connected with the storeroom A by doors 1!") and withthe exterior of the building by doors H3. Thcsc storage rooms areintended to contain supplies of goods from which the shelves aud displaycounters within the store may he replenished l'romlime to time. Ilowevcrthe spaces 5) may he, utilized for this purpoi-aif dcsircd.

lhihtlu doors 1?- and 16 are normally kept closed uod arc uscd only byemployees they may serge as emergency exits in case of lire. Thelmrricrs 7 may he mercly fences or they may carry shelves 7 asindicated. Shelves 17' extend along the several walls of the store andserve to receive goods to he sold.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 4 the entrance to theinterior of the store 20 is through a turnstile 21, thence around theoval display counter 22 and through an opening .53, therein to a space24, them-o arouifd the oval display counter 25 and through an opening 26therein to a space 27, them-c around the outer side of an oval displaycounter 28 and through an opening! 29 therein to the interior of thelullcr rouulcr. thence up a flight of stairs 30 loa hulcony whichextends entirely around the building and loads hack to a flight of claimis 1. In a device of the character described the combination with astoreroom a display structuie located therein comprising a substantiallycontinuous barrier which surrounds an interior space, said barrier beingshaped to form deeply indented portions and being adapted to receive anddisplay goods, barriers projecting into said indented portions from thewalls of the storeroom, en-

trance and exit structures andimeans for preventing the passage ofpersons from the entrance to the exit structure except around thedisplay structure.

2. In a device of the character described the combination with astoreroom, a display structure located therein comprising continuouswalls which surround an interior space, said walls being of zig-zagformation to form indentedportions, display shelves carried by saidcontinuous walls, non-reversible entrance and exit structures and abarrier extendin from the display struchire to a wall 0 the storeroompreventing the passage of persons from the entrance to the exitstructure except around the display structure.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ROBERT A. TRIBBLE.

